High-pressure toilets being recalled

In June, the Flushmate III was declared a “laceration risk.” The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall notice for more than 2.3 million of the water-conservation devices after learning that 304 units had blown up. The explosions shattered the commodes, caused home flooding, and, in some cases, sent porcelain shrapnel flying.

A San Francisco lawyer filed a lawsuit earlier this month against Flushmate, owned by Sloan Valve Co. The complaint seeks more than $5 million in damages.

The systems are designed to conserve water.

A photo on safety commission website SaferProducts.gov shows just what kind of damage the explosions can cause. The back of an alleged victim is held together with 20 surgical staples.

The recalled systems – rectangular, black, injection-molded plastic vessels – were manufactured during a 10 1/2-year span from October 1997 to February 2008. The 16-digit serial number of those units begins with 101497 (Oct. 14, 1997) and continues through 022908 (Feb. 29, 2008). The units are installed in toilets made by Kohler, American Standard, and a number of other manufacturers.

Flushmate spokesman Paul Deboo said he could not comment on the number, or extent, of bodily injuries caused by the bursting Flushmates.